January 19-27, 2012

January Events

January 19, 2012. NOT YOUR FATHER’S NAPOLEONIC CODE! A lecture in English by Marie Galanti, PhD, JD, Attorney at LawOn Thursday January 19 at 7pm at Vista del Lago Clubhouse 3150 Lakeview Drive, Santa Rosa He took it from the Romans but the Emperor put his own stamp on his Code Napoléon, aberrations and all! Today hundreds of countries worldwide use a variation of his famous Civil Code. The structure remains the same, but some of the changes would have the Emperor spinning in his grave: women's, workers' rights, to name only those. A look at the Code Napoléon from its origins to now, and how it has influenced French culture. Marie Galanti is a Santa Rosa attorney who specializes in wills, trusts and all aspects of estate planning. In addition to her law degree, she has a PhD in French Civilization. Because of her long association with France, she assists clients with all their transactions with France, including inheritance issues, contracts, and all aspects of buying and selling property. In this capacity, she has frequent contact with the intricacies of the French Civil Code. In her career as a university professor, journalist and lawyer, she has always been a keen observer of French politics, law and culture. In her lecture, she will look at the origins of the Napoleonic Code, how it has changed over the last two hundred years and its lasting legacy on France and many other countries of the world. www.afsantarosa.org for details.

January 19, 2012. THE FRENCH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE presents BEST PRACTICES IN NETWORKING AND JOB HUNTING FOR CAREER SUCCESS. 6pm-9pm, WilmerHale Office, Palo Alto. This interactive workshop will be led by Jennifer Vessels who has over 30 years experience helping individuals move into more satisfying careers as well as practical tips for moving into the ideal professional role and career. events@faccsf.com or 415.442.4717. Members $15/Member’s guest $30/ At the door, $40. Appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks will be served. WilmerHale950 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304.

January 19, 2012. LAURENT GARNIER. This concept has a smaller live format consisting of three people: Laurent Garnier (DJ & machines), Benjamin Rippert (keyboards) and Scan X (machines). It offers a new platform for expression and improvisation, playing with Techno, Jazz, House, Dub, Breakbeat and Dubstep. This experimental live music project marries the organic and the electronic, with the flexibility of the DJ and the intensity of the live performance. Specially created to match the feverish atmosphere of a club, LBS work the dance floor into a frenzy with marathon sets. Five hours non-stop! It is a new way for Laurent Garnier to approach the dance floor...in the same spirit of giving...in close physical and emotional contact with the dance floor....as always...it's is the story of his life. Public Works, 163 Erie Str., SF.

January 19, 2012. SWISSNEX SAN FRANCISCO presents MY ROBOT IS SMARTER THAN YOURS. Hod Lipson of Cornell University asks if machines can figure out analytical laws automatically, and Rolf Pfeifer of the University of Zurich ponders artificial intelligence (AI) and bio-inspired robotics. The Robots Among Us series is in part a project of the U.S.-wide program ThinkSwiss-Brainstorm the Future. As a leading country in science, research, and technology, Switzerland is working with its American counterparts to address key global topics such as sustainability to better understand trends and arrive at solutions.http://swissnexsanfrancisco.org//

January 19, 2012. COGNITIVE ROBOTICS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. Find out if robots can self-reflect, self-improve, and adapt to new circumstances, and if robots of the future could one day possess the same cognitive characteristics as humans. swissnex San Francisco, 730 Montgomery St., SF.http://www.swissnexsanfrancisco.org/

January 19-February 25, 2012. AUSTERE PERFECTIONISM: THE FILMS OF ROBERT BRESSON. "It is with something clean and precise that you will force the attention of inattentive eyes and ears."-Robert Bresson, Notes on Cinematography. The works of Robert Bresson-fourteen exquisite gems in a career that spans five decades -are as rare as they are revered. So it is with great pleasure that we present this complete retrospective of his films organized by James Quandt of TIFF Cinematheque on the occasion of the forthcoming publication Robert Bresson (Revised), edited by Quandt and distributed by Indiana University Press, an invaluable volume for anyone seeking to understand the beauty and perfectionism of Bresson's singular body of work. Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu for details.

January 20, 2012. THE FRENCH FILM CLUB OF PALO ALTO presents UN PROPHETE (Jacques Audiard, 2009). Doors 7pm Movie 8pm. Un prophète is a French thriller film first released in 2009, directed by Jacques Audiard. The film stars Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Hichem Yacoubi and Reda Kateb. 5 Stars. Won 3 Cesar in Cannes. Nominated for 30 Rated R. http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/

January 21, 2012. FRANK LÉVY. International touring artist pianist Frank Lévy, who recently relocated to the Bay Area, will be performing an evening of classical music at Stanford University's Campbell Recital Hall on January 21. The program will include favorites of the Classical and Romantic periods, including pieces by Scarlatti, Mozart, Schumann, and Liszt, as well as a special appearance by award-winning young violinist Minjung Cho. Campbell Recital Hall, Braun Music Center, Stanford University, 541 Lasuen Mall, Stanford, CA. Tickets available at: http://www.stanfordtickets.org/tickets/calendar/view.aspx?id=4257or www.franklevy.com or www.swissemb.org for details.

January 21, 2012. UN DEUX TROIS performs FRENCH MUSIC WITH A TWIST. Bal Musette, Traditional French, and Original Compositions performed on accordion, guitar, bass guitar, and voice. The French Garden's Music in the Bistro, 8050 Bodega Avenue • Sebastopol. No Cover Charge 7:00 - 10:00PM.

January 21, 2012. TEDxCONSTITUTIONDRIVE. The theme for this year’s TEDxConstitutionDrive is Identity. Please come with an open mind and a sincere desire to connect with the ideas and other attendees. 10am. Auto-vino, 205 Constitution Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025. http://www.swissnexsanfrancisco.org/

January 21, 22, 27 & 29, 2012. CLERESTORY performs RESOLUTIONS, with music by JOSQUIN and more… As we contemplate the New Year, ageless themes of life, death, love, and magic echo across the ages. The ten men of Clerestory greet 2012 with a kaleidoscope of madrigals, elegies and more by composers as diverse as Josquin, Vaughan Williams and Steven Sametz. OAKLAND, Saturday, January 21, 8:00pm
Chapel of the Chimes; PALO ALTO, Sunday, January 22, 4:00pm, First Lutheran Church; BELVEDERE-TIBURON, Friday, January 27, 8:00pm
Community Congregational Church; SAN FRANCISCO, Sunday, January 29, 4:00pm,
Holy Innocents Episcopal Church. http://clerestory.org/concerts.php

January 22, 2012. ORGAN RECITAL WITH PAUL JACOBS, including works by N. BOULANGER (TROIS PIECES) AND DEMESSIEUX. www.sfsymphony.org

January 22, 2012. PISSARRO’S FINALE: FROM PARIS WITH LOVE. Special Lecture organized by the Alliance Française de San Francisco at the Legion of Honor, by DR. ANNE PRAH-PEROCHON. 11am. www.afsf.com for details.

January 24, 2012. FRENCH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE presents EVENT FOCUS: MEMBERS TO MEMBERS NETWORKING. This is a perfect chance to meet your fellow members. Whether you are new to the network or looking to catch up with close contacts, this night will regroup the diverse membership of the French and American Business Communities of the Bay Area! Join us for a fun and vibrant night of discussion and networking among peers and professionals. www.faccsf.com for details.

January 24, 2012. NAOMI BENARON talks about RUNNING THE RIFT about JEAN PATRICK NKUBA, a Rwandan boy who is an Olympic class runner. From the moment his country is inflamed by rising Hutu-Tutsi tensions, he realizes he must run to save himself from the coming genocide. 7pm. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Dr., Corte Madera, 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details.

January 24, 2012. MIDNITE RAMBLERS play Cajun/Creole at Ashkenaz. Three of the Bay Area's top traditional musicians teamed up a few years ago to form the Midnite Ramblers playing roots music steeped in Cajun and Creole traditions. They deliver irresistibly danceable Cajun classics. A year of intense musical experiences in Louisiana has made the Ramblers' sound even more authentic to the Cajun tradition. Singer and fiddler Agi Ban is a founder of the Aux Cajunals as well as the Midnite Ramblers. Accordionist and fiddler Mark Marcin is a former teacher at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, where his love of Cajun, Creole, and zydeco music led to learning accordion from Ray Abshire, Jimmy Breaux, and others. He studied fiddle with Suzy Thompson and Cedric Watson. Singer-guitarist Julay Brooks has long played music in local roots bands, especially country and bluegrass (Honky Tonk Dreamers), but seeing the Pine Leaf Boys at Ashkenaz led her naturally into Cajun music (she now plays with Creole Belles), and in 2008 Ban recruited her and Marcin to form the Midnite Ramblers. While they are the core trio, the Midnite Ramblers occasionally expand their lineup for dance concerts such as this; tonight they are joined by Steven Strauss on upright bass. As Marcin proclaims, "Bring your dancing shoes and join the Midnite Ramblers for a night of lively two-steps, soulful blues and haunting waltzes!" Doors at 7:30 pm; Cajun/Zydeco dance lesson with Cheryl McBride at 8:00 pm; Show at 8:30 pm $10 www.ashkenaz.com

January 25, 2012. JACQUELINE LUCKETT discusses her novel PASSING LOVE. Moving back and forth in time between the sparkling Paris of today and the jazz-fueled city filled with ex-patriates in the 1950s, this work is the story of two women dealing with lost love, secrets, and betrayal. The City of Light may hold all of the answers for them. 7pm. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Dr., Corte Madera, 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details.

Opening January 27, 2012. DECLARATION OF WAR.France's official entry for Academy Awards consideration for Best Foreign Language Film, this intimate, exuberant and deeply moving drama is inspired by the real-life experiences of co-stars Valérie Donzelli and Jérémie Eikaïm, who play Juliette and Romeo, a young couple who face the ultimate test when they discover their newborn son Adam is very ill. Gathering together friends and family, they confront the ordeal as a form of warfare. Donzelli, who directs the film, infuses the story with unexpected verve, combining music and heartbreaking performances to create a dazzling tale of contagious vitality about a contemporary couple who surprise even themselves with their ability to fight, not only for the life of their child, but for each other. In French with English subtitles. Writers: Valérie Donzelli, Jérémie Elkaïm. Director: Valérie Donzelli. (France 2011) 100 min. Smith-Rafael, San Rafael. www.cafilm.org

January 29, 2012. LYCANTHROPOS: THE WEREWOLF IN STORY AND SONG. Tim Rayborn presents an eerie look into the enduring fear of werewolves, a belief which induced terror on moonlit nights from the Middle East to the Balkans, from Italy to Ireland. In music and story, he will perform tales of shape-shifters from Greek and Roman sources, the LAI OF BISCLAVRET by MARIE DE FRANCE (late 12th c.), the Icelandic Volsunga Saga, the frightening true stories of Peter Strumpf, the BEAST OF LE GEVAUDAN (18th-c. France) and more! St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 1501 Washington Ave., Albany. 7pm. 510.528.1685 or www.musicsources.org or info@musicsources.org for details.

January 31, 2012. CHING-YUN HU performs works by MAURICE RAVEL and others. Old St. Mary’s Cathedral, 660 California, SF. www.noontimeconcerts.org for details. 12:30pm.

Through February 4, 2012. HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT: THE CINEMA OF DISENCHANTMENT. Tempered by the pessimism of war-torn France, director Henri-Georges Clouzot's brand of hard-edged realism made for gripping genre films, often mysteries and thrillers, that contained within them a near-misanthropic vision of man. Yet his best-remembered works, the dread-inducing The Wages of Fear (1953) and Diabolique (1955), have a paradoxical sympathy for their characters, a sympathy based upon the recognition that when left to our own devices, we will helplessly choose the baser path. Pacific Film Archive. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu for details.

THE ARTIST, starring JEAN DUJARDIN dazzles as George Valentin, reigning superstar of 1927 Hollywood, who resists the imminent transition to sound motion pictures. Bérénice Bejo equals his charm as Peppy Miller, a beautiful movie extra whose star rises as George's wanes, in a sprightly and soulful backstage tale with echoes of A Star Is Born and Singin' in the Rain. Michel Hazanavicius, director of the OSS 117 comedies, crafts a picture-perfect silent movie with period gloss that is both loving homage and an invigorating new sensation. With terrific music by Ludovic Bource, shimmering photography by Guillaume Schiffman, and strong support by John Goodman, James Cromwell and Penelope Ann Miller (as well as one of the most delightful canine performers in years), The Artist is a treat for this or any holiday season. Rated PG-13. Writer/Director: Michel Hazanavicius. (France 2011) 100 min. CinéArts Sequoia, Mill Valley; Century Regency, Terra Linda; AMC 1000 Van Ness, SF; California, SF; 1000 Van Ness, SF; Embarcadero Center, SF; Sundance Kabuki, SF; Stonestown, SF. Sequoia, Mill Valley; Piedmont.Check local listings for further details.

AUSTERE PERFECTIONISM: THE FILMS OF ROBERT BRESSON. "It is with something clean and precise that you will force the attention of inattentive eyes and ears."-Robert Bresson, Notes on Cinematography. The works of Robert Bresson-fourteen exquisite gems in a career that spans five decades -are as rare as they are revered. So it is with great pleasure that we present this complete retrospective of his films organized by James Quandt of TIFF Cinematheque on the occasion of the forthcoming publication Robert Bresson (Revised), edited by Quandt and distributed by Indiana University Press, an invaluable volume for anyone seeking to understand the beauty and perfectionism of Bresson's singular body of work. Pacific Film Archive, Berkeley. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu for details. January 19-February 25, 2012

CARNAGE. The bitterly amusing story of two families who become locked in a showdown after their children are involved in a playground squabble, Carnage shines a spotlight on the risible contradictions and grotesque prejudices of four well-heeled American parents. Shot in real time as the four adults meet to settle the dispute, Carnage pits power couple Nancy (Kate Winslet, The Reader) and cell phone-addicted Alan (Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds) against the liberal writer and campaigner Penelope (Jodie Foster, The Silence of the Lambs) and her wholesaler husband, Michael (John C. Reilly, Chicago). Unpredictable and shocking, the film hilariously exposes the hypocrisy lurking behind their polite façade. Briskly-paced, Carnage is a real acting tour-de-force-reminiscent of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, but lighter in tone. Directed by Roman Polanski (The Ghost Writer, The Pianist), who co-wrote the screenplay with YASMINA REZAYasmina Reza, based on her smash comedy play GOD OF CARNAGE.Landmark Cinemas. Balboa, SF;Embarcadero, SF; Sundance Kabuki, SF; Shattuck, Berkeley; AMC Bay Street 16; Camera 7 Pruneyard; Century Regency San Rafael; CinéArts Palo Alto Square; CinéArts Pleasant Hill; CinéArts Santana Row; Sequoia, Mill Valley.

DECLARATION OF WAR.France's official entry for Academy Awards consideration for Best Foreign Language Film, this intimate, exuberant and deeply moving drama is inspired by the real-life experiences of co-stars Valérie Donzelli and Jérémie Eikaïm, who play Juliette and Romeo, a young couple who face the ultimate test when they discover their newborn son Adam is very ill. Gathering together friends and family, they confront the ordeal as a form of warfare. Donzelli, who directs the film, infuses the story with unexpected verve, combining music and heartbreaking performances to create a dazzling tale of contagious vitality about a contemporary couple who surprise even themselves with their ability to fight, not only for the life of their child, but for each other. In French with English subtitles. Writers: Valérie Donzelli, Jérémie Elkaïm. Director: Valérie Donzelli. (France 2011) 100 min. Smith-Rafael, San Rafael. www.cafilm.orgOpening January 27, 2012.

LA FILLE DU PUISATIER. Presented by the THE ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE OF SANTA CLARA VALLEY, witha dinner at 7pm at West Valley Brank Library, 1243 San Tomas Aquino Rd., San José. January 27, 2012.

LE HAVRE. In the French harbor city that gives the film its name, bohemian shoe-shiner Marcel Marx (André Wilms) lives modestly with his wife Arletty (Kati Outinen) and dog Laika. Discovering a young African refugee named Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), Marcel hides the boy from police Inspector Monet (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) and attempts to send him to his mother in London, across the Channel. This "political fairy tale" from director Aki Kaurismäki is in French, but it's warmhearted, eccentric and enriched by the Finnish filmmaker's humanism and characteristically deadpan sense of humor. The participation of veteran actors Jean-Pierre Léaud and Pierre Étaix is a nod to classic French cinema, and Kaurismäki's treatment of economic and immigration issues reflects his compassion for people who exist on society's fringes. Hollywood Reporter called it "a tender, warm embrace to those who find themselves rootless." In French with English subtitles. Writer/ Producer/ Director: Aki Kaurismäki. (France/Finland 2011) 93 min. http://www.landmarktheatres.com/ticketsOpera Plaza, SF.

HENRI-GEORGES CLOUZOT: THE CINEMA OF DISENCHANTMENT. Tempered by the pessimism of war-torn France, director Henri-Georges Clouzot's brand of hard-edged realism made for gripping genre films, often mysteries and thrillers, that contained within them a near-misanthropic vision of man. Yet his best-remembered works, the dread-inducing The Wages of Fear (1953) and Diabolique (1955), have a paradoxical sympathy for their characters, a sympathy based upon the recognition that when left to our own devices, we will helplessly choose the baser path. Pacific Film Archive. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu for details.Martin Scorsese), with the voices of Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Christopher Lee. Story of an orphan who makes his home behind a clock in a Paris train station. In 3-D. Check local listings for details. January 12-February 4, 2012.

PINA. Dancer Pina Bausch is legendary. As celebrated as Isadora Duncan and Martha Graham, she transformed the language of dance. Designed to ignite emotion in the viewer, her unique multi-media creations offered a visual experience like no other. Now we can experience the synesthesia of her elemental choreography as if performed for us in the flesh. Filmed by the great European pioneer of 3D photography, ALAIN DEROBE, this revolutionary 3D film captures the thrilling aesthetic of Pina Bausch's greatest productions. See local listings for details. Opening in January 2012.

THE FRENCH FILM CLUB OF PALO ALTO presents UN PROPHETE (Jacques Audiard, 2009). Doors 7pm Movie 8pm. Un prophète is a French thriller film first released in 2009, directed by Jacques Audiard. The film stars Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Hichem Yacoubi and Reda Kateb. 5 Stars. Won 3 Cesar in Cannes. Nominated for 30 Rated R. http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/January 20, 2012.

TOMBOY. Check local listings for details

ALSO NOTE: ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE SAN FRANCISCO CINEMATHEQUE. Second & Fourth Wednesdays of the month, 7pm. Enjoy the latest releases from France sur le grand ecran with AFSF ciné-philes and discussion en français. Straight from the AFSF Médiathèque. Visit http://www.afsf.com for updates on featured films. Suggested donation of $5.

ART

Through January 22, 2012. PISSARRO’S PEOPLE. Camille Pissarro had a unique and lifelong interest in the human figure. From his earliest years in the Caribbean and Venezuela until his death in Paris in 1903, Pissarro drew, painted, and made prints featuring human subjects from every walk of life, which outnumber the figural works of his colleagues Monet and Sisley. Pissarro’s People celebrates the painter’s humanism in all its aspects and brings together nearly 100 works of art, including some 37 paintings and numerous works on paper made over the course of his entire career. Highlights include portraits of the artist’s friends and family as well as notable genre scenes set in the fields and marketplaces of rural France. Pissarro’s paintings of townspeople, peasants, and farm workers stress their individuality rather than their mythic qualities, which so preoccupied Millet, his predecessor in the agricultural figural tradition. The cast of characters Pissarro represented reflects his unique engagement in contemporary political, social, and economic issues. The exhibition reconsiders Pissarro’s people within this rich contextual setting. De Young Museum, Golden Gate Park, SF. http://deyoung.famsf.org for details.

Through January 31, 2012. WORKS BY MITCHELL SHEA. Alliance Française de San Francisco, 1345 Bush St., SF. 6pm. www.afsf.com for details.

Through February 18, 2012. OCEANS & CAMPFIRES. ALLAN SEKULA AND BRUNO SERRALONGUE. Parisian photographer Bruno Serralongue has developed a distinctive body of work that questions the truth of photographic representation and how images are produced, disseminated, and circulated in contemporary contexts. He pursues traces of media events that marked key moments in regions facing geopolitical changes: global economic and social forums; celebrations of new independent nations such as Kosovo and South Sudan in the aftermaths of civil wars; strikes and labor conflicts. Instead of seeking spectacular images of these events in the voyeuristic and dramatic style of paparazzi, Serralongue chooses to catch angles excluded from the mainstream media's framings of "reality," and surmounts considerable difficulties to cover events in his independent manner. Through images such as campfires in the campsite of striking workers at the New Fabris factory in Châtellerault, France, Serralongue symbolizes rage and determination in the face of exploitation and oppression. San Francisco Art Institute, 800 Chestnut St., San Francisco. http://www.sfai.edu/

Ongoing. SURREALISM: SELECTIONS FROM THE REVA AND DAVID LOGAN COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATED BOOKS.Found or random objects, textures, and imagery were central to Surrealism, as was the acceptance of dreams as worthy subject matter. Surrealism was as much a literary movement as an artistic one, and it involved an extraordinary number of the leading writers and poets of the day at one time or another. This exhibition brings together the works of some of the finest Surrealist poets and artists, whose collaborations produced both luxurious and outrageous artist’s books.California Palace of the Legion of Honor,Lincoln Park, 34th & Clement, San Francisco http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/

On-going. A NEW 19TH CENTURY : THE MONDAVI FAMILY GALLERY REINSTALLED. Reconfigured 19th century European and American collections. Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University. Lomita Drive and Museum Way, Stanford University, Palo Alto. 650.723.4177 or http://museum.stanford.edu for details.

On-going. MODERN EUROPEAN MASTERS, including MATISSE, PICASSO, CHAGALL and more. Meyerovich Gallery, 251 Post, SF. 415.421.7171 or http://meyerovich.com for details.

On-going. MATISSE AND BEYOND: THE PAINTING AND SCULPTURE COLLECTION. SF Museum of Modern Art. Magnificent works of painting and sculpture culled from SFMOMA's own collections provide a quick tour of modern art from Fauvism to Minimalism. Daily. Exhibition tells the story of modern and contemporary art including landmark works by MATISSE, BOURGEOIS and others. San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 151 Third St., San Francisco. 415.357.4000 or www.sfmoma.org

DOMINIQUE AMENDOLA. New art website of note (fun to browse): Dominique Amendola is a French born painter who focuses primarily on landscapes and figures using gorgeously vibrant colors to create scenes of amazing clarity. Her art is figurative yet remains contemporary and spur of the moment. Her paintings depict ordinary day-to-day life of people in snapshots, either in nature or life in a bustling city. http://dominiqueamendola.com

ARTS OF FASHION. Yearly competition brings guest designers from PARIS and BRUXELLES to work with and select prizes for United States fashion students. The grand prizes offered to the US fashion students are internships in high profile fashion design houses as Castelbajac or Anne Valerie Hash or the school of the Chambre syndicale in Paris... Or Brussels for La Cambre or Antwerp for Veronique Branquinho or Vienna for Wendy&Jim... Contact: Nathalie Doucet, President Arts of Fashion Foundation, 635 Tennessee Street Suite # 402, San Francisco CA 94107. Tel 415 252 0734 http://www.af-competition.com or http://www.myspace.com/artsoffashion

FLORENCE DE BRETAGNE. Florence de Bretagne is a French painter and photographer. Her work is full of joy and very colorful. It has always something to do with new life : imaginary plants that are flourishing, blossoms, seeds. It seems that nature is new and beautiful like new-born babies. She took abstract pictures of fruits and vegetables (a very poetic book, "Semence", is still available), she made paintings on trees and imaginary plants, and many others. You can see her work either in the SFMOMA gallery at Fort Mason, or in her atelier (756 Garland Drive in Palo Alto), or else on her website : http://www.florencedebretagne.com

CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPES OF SOUTHERN FRANCE, by ANDREA WEDELL. Expat Andrea Wedell, originally from the Bay Area and living in France for the past 24 years, would love for you to visit her painting : contemporary landscapes of Southern France. She works with texture and vibrant, bold color that is built up in multiple layers and glazed on. Her landscapes are semi-abstract to abstract poetic interpretations of her environment in Cassis, or bits and pieces of it as she sees and feels it– from lively, magical gardens with their sweet smells , to turquoise and deep orange underwater scenes, pink and bright white cliffs built up over millions of years, villages that have retained their authentic charm, sparkling ocean and wide expanses of sky. You can see her work virtually on her website : www.gallerywedell.com If you sign up on the blog, you will receive monthly posts, a journal of art and life in the South of France. www.gallerywedell.com/blog

January 23, January 30 & February 6, 2012. HOW TO DO BUSINESS IN FRENCH: THREE WORKSHOPS. 60 minutes workshop for intermediate students taught by Dominique Bremond at Parisoma on Monday, January 23, January 30 and February 6 at 9 a.m. Each workshop may be taken separately. Please sign up at www.parisoma.com .The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com

January-March 2012. CLASSES OFFERED BY GENEVIEVE BLAISE-SULLIVAN at Book Passage: FRENCH FOR MOVIE LOVERS, FRENCH LITERATURE AND GRAMMAR. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Dr., Corte Madera, 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details.

February 18, 2012. SURREALIST DRAWING CLASS. Discover how surrealist poets and painters like Dorthea Tanning, Dali and Magritte used symbols, dreams and photographs to create their own works. Students keep a dream journal a week before class to use as inspiration. West Portal Bookstore. 11am-2pm.

February 25, 2012. SATURDAY PRONUNCIATION INTENSIVE AT THE FRENCH CLASS. For level 4 and up, presented by Dominique Brémond. $85. Includes handouts. Snacks & drinks (including wine and cheese) provided during the breaks. A unique approach to French pronunciation. This workshop will change your understanding of French sounds forever and will definitely improve your pronunciation and subsequently, your comprehension. This intensive is limited to 12 participants and gets full very quickly . Please call us at 415.362.3666 with a credit card number to save a seat. The French Class 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666 or info@frenchclass.com

June 2012. WEEK-LONG COURSES AT LATITUDE, LA TOULZANIE! Lot Valley, France. Four week-long June courses/workshops at the Latitude Cultural Center in La Toulzanie, a tiny riverside hamlet (lieu-dit) in the never-industrialized Lot Valley, about 45 km East of Cahors) France.. Latitude’s hq is a 14th century mill. There is a pool (near the converted tobacco hangar) on the grounds, available to participants. June 17-23: Painting the Colors of Southwest France, with Rob O’Brien. The Vermont colorist, who has taught 2 courses at Latitude, is a much-decorated artist. plus A Taste of Textiles with Maureen (Mo) Newman, English resident of the Lot—also much decorated! June 23-30: (tentative) A Great Leap Backward—an exploration into the nearby caves (Pech Merle, etc.):with Bay Area psychologist Adrienne Amundsen (tentative), and A Taste of the Quercy with Latitude’s founder/director Barbara Phillips. Details about all courses at www.latitude.org. PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU SEEK A PLACE FOR A SEMINAR OR WORKSHOP: A very beautiful, historic,14th century mill in La Toulzanie is available as a very special place. The price per week (Saturday to Saturday) depends on the time of year. Nearby is a new, lovely hotel looking directly at St. Cirq Lapopie, one of France's most beautiful villages. The mill is located on (and in) the river Lot. It sleeps 5 and features the original huge hearth, circular stone staircase, and footbridge. The grand salon is a lovely room with a long, wooden table suitable for seminars and meals. A swimming pool, 2 minutes on foot from the mill, and a rowboat and fishing gear at the mill, are included. Photos at www.latitude.org . For availability, please contact Latitude’s manager, Neil Buffée at gemeaux3@wanadoo.fr.

June 19-29, 2012. WATERCOLOR & WINE. Art study travel class with daily painting workshop (taught by CAROL DUCHAMP), luxury accommodations, meals and excursions. Hotels and painting locations have been personally scouted and chosen for their beauty and authenticity, qualities that will arouse the painting muse in all of us. Strasbourg, France. Enroll now or email for further details. More photos and information are available on our website at www.arttreks.com.

December 20-30, 2012. THE POETICS OF WATER MEDIA PAINTING. WATERCOLOR AND FLUID ACRYLIC TECHNIQUE. Tahiti and Huahine Islands, French Polynesia. Art study travel class with daily painting workshop (taught by CAROL DUCHAMP), luxury accommodations, meals and excursions. Hotels and painting locations have been personally scouted and chosen for their beauty and authenticity, qualities that will arouse the painting muse in all of us. Enroll now or email for further details. More photos and information are available on our website at www.arttreks.com.

FRENCH PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN THE BAY AREA. Do you want to offer your child the opportunity to grow and learn? Do you dream of offering your child the chance to be bilingual? You can give your child this opportunity with affordable, local French classes starting in 2012. Education Francaise Bay Area (EFBA) is a non-profit organization focused on high quality, affordable French courses and serves families through 19 public school locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. EFBA is supported by the French government. Course registrations are open for January 2012; enroll your child today at www.efba.us .

SANTA ROSA FRENCH-AMERICAN CHARTER SCHOOL.SRFACS will open in the fall of 2012 for first through fourth grades, and will expand through the eighth grade in the future. This information is being provided as a courtesy to you. There is no affiliation between SRFACS (Santa Rosa French-American Charter School) and AFSR (Alliance Française de Santa Rosa). For more information about the Charter School, please contact Nas Salamati: info@srfacs.org If interested in sending your children to SRFACS, please sign the SRFACS Petition and send it to: SRFACS (Santa Rosa French-American Charter School) 2097 Stagecoach Rd, Suite 220 Santa Rosa, CA 95404 US On Friday the 8th of April 2011, Jacqueline Lindenfeld and I attended an informational meeting about a proposed Santa Rosa French-American Charter School known as SRFACS. This meeting was well attended, and we were impressed by the presenters who are leaders in the community in the fields of education and health/nutrition. Other members are leaders in the fields of communications and engineering. SRFACS will open in the fall of 2012 for first through fourth grades, and will expand through the eighth grade in the future. Their goal is to offer children a solid education based on high academic standards and exposure to the global world. The dual-immersion French-American Charter School curriculum will employ a formula with a proven track record in private schools, and more recently, in charter schools on the East Coast. This opportunity will now be extended to everyone in our community via a free public charter school. Any parent interested in having their child enrolled in a charter school focused on academic excellence with an opening to the global world is a parent SRFACS would love to have. There are no enrollment ‘requirements’ (speaking French for example), and that is one of the great strengths of this school. SRFACS is currently gathering signatures of parents interested in enrolling their children. You may contact this organization at: info@srfacs.org, or sign the petition above and mail it in. Lise Melin Directrice de l’école @ AFSR.

"CHOUCHOU" ~ FRENCH FOR TODDLERS AT SEESAW CAFÉ. French for toddlers (weekly classes)Parents come connect while your kids play, make new friends and learn in French! Chouchou is a fun and structured language-immersion play group for children 1 - 5 years of age. This playful and interactive class is led by Vanessa Portois-Wermter. Material is presented multi-modally through picture books, stories, art, songs and dancing. French language fluency is not required but French will be spoken 90% of the time. Let the little ones explore and laugh as they learn about animals, instruments, food, feelings, body parts and more! Wednesdays 10.30am to 11.30am - WeeklyPre-registration required.Tuition for 4 sessions is $100 | 1 session is $30. To learn more email vanessa at vanessa.portois@gmail.com and to register, visit seesawsf.com. Seesaw Cafe (? 1.415.553.8070 - 600A Octavia St.) http://seesawsf.com/workshops.php

NEW CLASSES AT eLYCEE. Openings :AP Classes : Tuesday and Thursday – 7pm eastern time; Maintien de la langue : A1 to C2 (ask for schedule); French Teacher training : on Saturdays. Also: 11 yr old and 13 yr old students are looking for classmates.A colleague, Teacher of French, has two kids who know and understand some words in French and would like them to perform in French.eLycée agrees to open a class for each student if we find at least to more kids around that age. If you are interested, please contact me : Christine.frin@elycee.com Classes on weekend - one hour a week - $25/h

Wednesdays & Fridays. FRENCH FOR FREE AT THE FRENCH CLASS. Please note: French for Free IS NOT A CLASS. It is a free conversation group open to people who speak some French and would like to practice. Everyone is welcome. Being enrolled in one of our classes is NOT required. Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Fridays from 12:00 to 12:45 p.m. The French Class, 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102. (415) 362-3666. info@frenchclass.com or www.frenchclass.com for details.

PAINTING COURSES AND HOLIDAYS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. Join English painter and teacher Nicola on one of her fun creative courses in the Languedoc area in the south of France. Learn or improve your drawing and painting skills, how to work in watercolours ‘plein air’, or for something quite different, how to paint furniture and accessories with that French ‘Shabby Chic’ style while staying in a Château on the banks of Le Canal du Midi. Every year Nicola hosts a variety of courses and holidays in both the Languedoc and Provence and can be booked by private groups. www.painting-holidays-france.com

FRENCH FOR FUN - Lafayette, California We have been teaching in the San Francisco East Bay for over 30 years, and we attribute our success to our unique teaching style. Madame Catherine Jolivet, a native of France, is the visionary founder, educator, and leader of the program. The curriculum is a synthesis of the best educational methods - from Montessori to the Project Approach! Academics and the Arts are woven together, and the result is a program that prepares children with skills that lay a foundation for elementary school success. By fostering a sense of fun and adventure our students will discover and develop language and cultural communication skills to empower them as responsible global citizens. Our Early Childhood Program is licensed through the California Department of Social Services, and our After School Program was recently awarded Heritage School status. Early Childhood Classes and most Elementary School Classes take place in a Total Immersion Environment. To reach French For Fun, please phone 925-283-9822 or stop by 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite B100, Lafayette CA 94549 (in the Corporate Terrace Office Complex).

WORKING IN FRANCE. Online presentation on the topic of working in France, presented by Laurence Raybois, a consultant specialized in assisting Americans wishing to work/live in France. The presentation costs $20 and lasts about one hour. It comes complete with handouts and a free 15-minute follow-up consultation with Laurence Raybois. It covers visas/cartes de séjour, regulated professions, how EU regulations may be used to work in France and the rights of accompanying family members, among many topics. http://www.americansmovingtofrance.com

NEW CLASSES FOR SUMMER at the ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE DE BERKELEY. Come and enjoy our current and new classes such as; “Révision”, “Cours intensif”, “Conversation”, “lecture”,”chansons” … Please see our schedules for beginners, intermediate, or advanced classes. To register please call 510 548 7481 or info@afberkeley.org

LEARN FRENCH ONLINE WITH SKYPE AND THE FRENCH CLASS. Learn, speak and practice French face to face with your teacher just like in a classroom. It's easy and very effective for students of any level, even complete beginners! Skype is FREE and VERY easy to install and use. The rates are: $20 x 20 for twenty 30 minute lessons paid in advance ($400) $25 x 10 for ten 30 minute lessons paid in advance ($250) $28 x 5 for five 30 minute lessons paid in advance ($140) $30 for one single 30 minute lesson ($30) For more information, please contact Dominiquebremond@aol.com The French Class - www.frenchclass.com 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA 94102 (415) 362-3666 info@frenchclass.com

CERCLE DU LIVRE (Book Club) AT THE FRENCH CLASS. Free for The French Class members (levels 7 and 8). Meeting once a month. Either: Morning: one Monday per month at 11:00 a.m, or: Evening: one Thursday per month at 5:30 p.m.A minimum of 3 people is necessary to hold the Book Club. Please call in advance: (415) 362-3666 to sign up and let us know if you will be attending. Veuilllez téléphoner au 415.362.3666. The French Class, 500 Sutter Street, Ste. 310, SF, CA. 94102. 415.362.3666 or info@frenchclass.com or www.frenchclass.com for details.

FRENCH CLASSES FOR ALL AGES AND LEVELS. Taught by a native French instructor, highly qualified, ith an MA in French Language Education, and experienced. CLASSES: Help with homework, AP French Language Exam, conversation, playgroup for toddler, etc. Programme spécial offert pour enfants francophones du CP à la terminale. LOCATION: East Bay Area. For more information, or to contact me, go to: http://privatefrenchtutoring.webs.com/

LE PETIT JARDIN of San Anselmo. COME AND PLAY… LATER IN THE DAY. Le Petit Jardin of San Anselmo (Lic # 214005102) is expanding its class offerings! After nearly 3 years of wonderful success offering Toddler French every morning, we are now pleased to announce the addition of afternoon immersion sessions!! Little ones can come and play, plant in our garden, sing, dance and enjoy story time and art projects ALL IN FRENCH! Class size will be kept at a 4:1 ratio, so don't delay in reserving your child's place.
WHO: Kiddies ages 18 months and older WHAT: French Immersion through contextual play and art! WHEN: Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 2:00 pm to 5:30pm WHERE: Le Petit Jardin of San Anselmo COST: $364/month (*Price includes nutritious afternoon snack and all needed course materials. As with all new enrollments, there is a one-time $50 registration fee.) Visit www.LPJkids.com for more information on Language Immersion for your child amber@LPJkids.com or tel. 415.459.3978 for details.

LA TOULZANIE. A very beautiful, historic,14th century mill in La Toulzanie (Lot,near Cahors in southwest France) is available as a very special place to offer short courses, seminars, or workshops. The price, per week (Saturday to Saturday) depends on the time of year. Nearby is a new, lovely hotel looking directly at St. Cirq Lapopie, one of France's most beautiful villages. The mill is located on (and in) the river Lot. It sleeps 5 and features the original huge hearth, circular stone staircase, and footbridge. The grand salon is a lovely room with a long, wooden table suitable for seminars. A swimming pool, 2 minutes on foot from the mill, and a rowboat and fishing gear at the mill, are included. Photos at www.latitude.org . For availability, please contact Neil Buffée at gemeaux3@wanadoo.fr.

MA PETITE ECOLE. Ma Petite École is a Family Child Care Home offering a French preschool curriculum in Santa Rosa. Emmanuelle Benefield, a native of France, directs an “école maternelle” program (petite, moyenne et grande sections) for children from the age of two through kindergarten. The friendly, supportive environment allows children to have fun learning and thrive as individuals. For details, please contact Emmanuelle at (707) 579-2669. www.ma-petite-ecole.com

eLYCEE WORKSHOPS. eLycée offers workshops for teachers of French who sign in from anywhere to work with native French teachers, using shared applications and resources, in a unique 'virtual classroom'. Easy to attend, easy to subscribe: each workshop is independent; you may build your own program and schedule. Certificate is provided at the end of the training. Meet with colleagues: bring your stories, share and take part in discussions on a new style of teaching, rich with multimedia documents, focused on participation, collaboration and interaction and restock on ideas for your classes. *Examples of workshop titles*: I can watch an interview and get everything!- Mais de quoi tu causes ? (K’eske tu dis ??) - Spend you class at the Louvre - Work with dictionaries - French movies Fairy tails - , la BD - OULIPO, l’écriture sous contrainte – la France et ses régions - La mode - Avoir l’eau à la bouche ! - La Fontaine et ses fables - French poetry… Rejoignez-nous ! Contact : Christine at Christine.frin@elycee.com

FRENCH LANGUAGE WITH JOY. Private lessons and group-based language instruction serving Marin & San Francisco since 1975. Taught by BARBARA ZEIDMAN, M.A. California State Licensed Community College French Instructor. 415.479.2100 for details.

TUTORING FOR MATH & SCIENCE – IN FRENCH! I graduated from La Perouse in 2007 with a Scientific Baccalaureat. I'm a Junior student in SRJC in organic chemistry, and have completed a summer internship in the Buck Institute. I give math, chemistry and physics tutoring for every level. Have 3 years of experience, good connections with students and satisfied results. Can meet at the students home or at your convenience. For more information, please feel free to contact me at awad.pierre@gmail.com or tel 415 408 1041.

FRENCH WINE CLASSES. The French Wine Society is offering French wine classes in San Francisco. Each class will be an in-depth lecture of a particular region including a tasting of six carefully selected fine wines to illustrate the regions character. These classes should not be missed. They represent a unique opportunity to increase your knowledge and enjoyment of French wine. Eric Lecours, Regional Director of the French Wine Society Bay Area, will be instructing the classes. He is a Certified Wine Educator and holds a Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the WSET. He is also one of only 20 Americans to be certified by the region of Bordeaux as an official instructor, having been sponsored by the Bordeaux Wine Council to attend a weeklong educational program in Bordeaux last year. He continues his studies and is working toward his Masters of Wine, the most respected qualification in the Wine Industry. For more information and registration: http://www.frenchwinesociety.org

COOKING CLASSES IN FRANCE OFFERED BY FORMER BAY AREA RESIDENT Philippe Gion. http://www.ArtandCookingClassesinFrance.com Philippe Gion was a resident of San Francisco from 1986 to 2001, then time shared between the US and Provence. Owner & chef of the restaurant "Café Landais" (1986-1990) then, manager of the restaurant of the "Alliance Fançaise,” he was also Executive Chef at Stanford University ("East House Residency", 1997- 2000). He was a member of the Board of Director at the "Lycée Français Lapérouse" (1988-1991) and creator of the first French Ciné-Club in San Francisco ("Alliance Française Ciné-Club" with the partnership of the Lycée Français). In 1996, Philippe Gion founded "Art and Cooking Classes in France" dedicated to bringing to our Anglo-Saxons friends and gourmets the best of the joie de vivre in France and, most of all, an attractive approach of the traditional French gastronomy in Provence.

FRENCH AT CASTRO VALLEY ADULT SCHOOL. Castro Valley Adult School is offering Beginning and Intermediate French on Monday evenings. Beginners 6:30 pm-8:30 pm; Intermediates 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. Come and practice French in a low-key, fun atmosphere. Helpful for travelers looking for survival French. Heavy emphasis on cultural topics. The intermediate class offers good practice for those with some experience in French. Additional out-of-class activities such as dinner outings, wine tastings, picnics, etc. will also be offered. Reasonable course fees. Call Castro Valley Adult School for more details: 510.886.1000.

PARIS VERSION A LA FRANCAISE. Week-long French Culture and Language Seminar in Paris, various dates available. Enjoy speaking French in unknown and new Parisian surroundings : French classes in the morning, cultural and gourmet workshops or strolls through the real Paris in the afternoon. Paris Version à la Française ; http://www.parisvf.com for more details.

FRENCH CLASSES FOR LITTLE ONES IN SAN FRANCISCO. Contact: Jean et Marie store & Maisonette Playroom : Coordonnées: 510.759.1224 - ingrid@maisonettesf.com. Jean et Marie is proud to announce to offer its French immersion program for kids in its playroom, Maisonette. Language study is best started when very young, and that's why we decided to offer this opportunity to little ones as young as 2. Activities for each hour-and-a-half class include games, singing and dancing, puppets, drawing, and storytelling, all in French. For more information, come by the store, at 100 Clement Street, see: www.maisonettesf.com or call 510.759.1224.

THE INTERNATIONAL FRENCH CLUB. Going to France soon or you want to speak French like a French person? Join the International French Club. Savoir faire. Besides text and exercise books, all classes include the use of material that will expose you to the wide variety of the French-speaking world; among others, French news, French movies, novels, songs and cartoons. You will also be invited to participate in team work, games and role-plays that will express what you have learned. Free evaluation. Before signing up for a class, we will schedule a meeting to evaluate your writing and oral level, and to listen to your objectives in order to place you in the appropriate class and level. Contact Nathalie today at: 415.756.2531 info@ifrenchclub.com Beginner Classes :: Intermediate Classes :: Advanced Classes

FRENCH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE. Learn French at your own pace. French for children, adults and corporate in private or small classes. French Language Institut offers flexibility, fun, customized programs, library, newest educative material, CNED, craft sessions, trip to France and much more! Visit us @ http://www.FL-Institut.com or write to frenchteachers@siliconfrench.com.

LANGUAGES INSTITUTE INC. Languages Institute Inc. is comprised of a team of 8 experienced teachers. All our teachers are native French speakers, passionate about the language and earned a Bachelor or Master's degree. They have much experience to make your learning fun, pleasant and efficient! 1100 East Hamilton Avenue, #3, Campbell, CA. 408.377.1113 or 408.833.9620 or Info@Frenchin.Org or http://www.frenchin.org

COMING SOON(ER) OR LATER!

February 1, 2012. YOUR FIRST RENDEZ-VOUS. TEN MISTAKES TO AVOID WHEN CONDUCTING A NEGOTIATION WITH AN AMERICAN PARTNER. FACCSF and GABA are pleased to announce the launch of A series of bootcamps focused on the American/Californian business environment mixed with coaching sessions and pitching exercises.The booster series will feature regular workshops on technical issues to help entrepreneurs more effectively navigate the American Business landscape. With ERIKA LEE and ANGELIKA BLENDSTRUP. 8:00am-10:30am. pard Mullin Richter & Hampton offices 4 Embarcadero Center, 17th floor San Francisco, CA 94111-4109. Members only + 1 guest Ticket price: $30. Fore more information please contact Marie or 415-442-4717 French American Chamber of Commerce San Francisco 26 O'Farrell Street Suite #500 San Francisco, CA 94108. www.faccsf.com for details.

February 3, 2012. THE FRENCH FILM CLUB OF PALO ALTO presents RAPT. Inspired by the real-life abduction of Baron Edouard-Jean Empain in 1978, the film portrays a man's slow and humiliating descent into Hell at the hands of a group of thuggish kidnappers with the monstrous behaviour of his family and his colleagues when his embarrassing peccadillos enter the public domain via a media-led feeding frenzy. Nominated for 4 Cesar in 2010. Doors 7pm-Movie 8pm. http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/

February 4, 2012. THE FRENCH FILM CLUB OF PALO ALTO presents THE RABBI’S CAT. A 2012 film by Johan Sfar and Antoine Delesvaux. A beautiful animated movie based on the hard cover comic book by Johan Sfar, (Gainsbourg, Vie Heroique). The Rabbi's Cat tells the wholly unique story of a rabbi, his daughter, and their talking cat-a philosopher brimming with scathing humor and surprising tenderness. (Saturday) MovieMatinee at 2pm. http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/

February 4, 2012. CAMILLE CLAUDEL: INTO THE FIRE. Great American mezzo-soprano JOYCE DIDONATO, with the Alexander String Quartet and composer-pianist Jake Heggie in this world premiere. Herbst Theatre, SF.

February 4 & 5, 2012. LEAVING PARNASSUS: THE LEGACY OF THE FRENCH VIOL IN THE 18TH CENTURY. Taking its name from the Greek word for fragments of ancient pottery, OSTRAKA is a young group of virtuosi devoted to music for viol and the rich continuo accompaniment of lutes, theorbo and baroque guitar. Their performance will journey through the refined and the outrageous music of DE VISEE, MARAIS, HERVELOIS, FORQUERAY, and BOISMORTIER. Ostraka is MusicSources new affiliate ensemble. Its members are Josh Le, viola da gamba, David Walker, baroque guitar and theorbo, and John Lenti, theorbo. Saturday, February 4, 2:00 pm, Most Holy Redeemer Church,100 Diamond St. (in the Castro District), San Francisco. Sunday, February 5, 5:00 pm
St. Mary Magdalen Church
2005 Berryman Street, Berkeley. 510.528.1685 or www.musicsources.org or info@musicsources.org for details.

February 10-12, 2011. HARMONIA FELICE performs LE VIRTUOSE SUBLIME: MUSIC OF THE FRENCH BAROQUE. Sublime, spiritual, and sensual music of 18th-century France for various combinations of instruments, including violin, gamba, cello and harpsichord. The concert will include works by ELIZABETH CLAUDE JACQUET DE LA GUERRE, MARIN MARAIS, JEAN-BAPTISTE BARRIEREA and FRANÇOIS COUPERIN. San Francisco Early Music Society: Friday, 8pm, First Lutheran Church, 600 Homer at Webster, Palo Alto; Saturday, 7:30pm at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College at Garber, Berkeley; Sunday, 4pm, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1111 O’Farrell at Gough, San Francisco. www.sfems.org for details.

February 10-12, 2012. THE GREAT GATSBY, a new chamber version by JACQUES DESJARDINS. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, www.ybca.org for details.

February 10-March 25, 2012. A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF. Written by MOLIERE, adapted by Christoper Bayes and Steven Epp. Molière’s classic comedy comes to uproarious new life in a clever and contemporary adaptation from one of Berkeley Rep’s favorite artists. Steven Epp delighted audiences as Figaro and The Miser—now he’s back with A Doctor in Spite of Himself. The traditional story of a girl feigning illness to avoid an unwanted wedding erupts into hilarity when Epp decides to play doctor. In a pitch-perfect production punctuated with live music, this ridiculous physician proves that love and laughter remain life’s best medicine. A co-production with Yale Repertory Theatre. Berkeley Rep, Roda Theatre, http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1112/index.asp for details.

February 13, 2012. ONE NIGHT IN PARIS, with members of the SAN FRANCISCO HOT CLUB & RUE MANOUCHE. Joins us for "One night in Paris", at the Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma, monday february 13th at 7.30pm !! A real trip to Paris with amazing Gypsy Jazz musicians and french singers from the band "Rue Manouche" :) ticket available now at the sebastiani theater ;) (100 % of the benefits of the bar and 50 % of the entrance benefit are going to support the Sebastiani Theatre Foundation). Please spray this info around you and bring your friends :):) See you then !!! Thank:) Michel Saga Happy New Year! http://www.sebastianitheatre.com/cgi-bin/event.cgi?EventId=368
Hot Club Hot Line, 415.931.0909 or www.HCSF.com or www.LeJazzHot.biz for details.

February 17, 2012. THE FRENCH FILM CLUB OF PALO ALTO presents NE LE DIS A PERSONNE. Tell No One (Ne le dis à personne) is a French thriller film first released in 2006, directed by Guillaume Canet. The film is based on a novel by Harlan Coben and stars François Cluzet, Marie-Josée Croze, André Dussollier, Kristin Scott Thomas and François Berléand. Won 4 Cesar Awards and 11 Nominations in 2007 . Doors 6pm-Movie 8:30PM. Double Activity; includes THE JAMES ROBINSON TRIO playing jazz, Latin, world music. http://www.frenchfilmclubofpaloalto.org/

February 17, 2012. TOM RIGNEY & FLAMBEAU perform at Pacific Grove Center for the Performing Arts, Pacific Grove. Our only scheduled appearance in Monterey County in 2012! This is a beautiful old theatre and will be a great place to hear Flambeau! 835 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. 7:00 pm. Information and advance tickets: www.performingartscenterpg.org For schedule updates, check the website: www.rigomania.com

February 17 & 19, 2011. BURY THE HATCHET “Aaron Walker’s new film takes you deep into the heart of New Orleans to discover a celebration hidden from mainstream Mardi Gras. Each year, members of a predominantly African-American neighborhood dress up as Indians to honour the Native American communities that harbored blacks escaping from slavery. A Mardi Gras tradition that dates back to the mid-19th century, the ‘Indians’ have created a highly intricate structure, with over 40 ‘tribes’ featuring hierarchical roles such as chief, medicine man and flag boy. Through Walker’s portrayal, audiences experience the rich history and struggles this community has faced. Enduring street violence, police harassment and Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, the Mardi Gras ‘Indians’ find the strength to carry on their traditions. Bury the Hatchet also presents a soundtrack of rare music passed down through generations, many of the songs having never been written down or recorded before the 1970s.” - Heather Haynes, HOT DOCS (2010, 86 min.) http://www.burythehatchetfilm.com/home.html. Friday, February 17 at 7:00 and Sunday, February 19 at 4:00. Sonoma State University, www.sonoma.edu

February 18, 2012. SURREALIST DRAWING CLASS. Discover how surrealist poets and painters like Dorthea Tanning, Dali and Magritte used symbols, dreams and photographs to create their own works. Students keep a dream journal a week before class to use as inspiration. West Portal Bookstore. 11am-2pm.

February 19, 2012. TOM RIGNEY & FLAMBEAU perform at the Clarion Inn, Modesto. The Modesto Traditional Jazz Society is bringing us to town for a Sunday afternoon show! 1612 Sisk Rd., Modesto. The event starts at 12:00. We will play at 1:00 pm and 3:45 pm. www.modestodixieland.com or www.rigomania.com for details.

February 28-March 11, 2012. BATTLE OF THE QUEENS. The Swiss documentary Battle of the Queens, soon to be released in Switzerland,will receive its US premiere in competition at the San José's Cinequest Festival in the presence of director Nicolas Steiner. The film, shot on location in Steiner's native Valais region, follows the rural Swiss tradition of setting cows--not bulls--off against each other in single combat.Battle of the Queens will be shown preceded by Steiner's award-winning short Ich bin's Helmut.Cinequest runs February 28 - March 11 in downtown San José. For screening times, visit www.cinequest.org as the festival approaches.Supported by the Consulate General of Switzerland. www.swissemb.org for details.

March 2012. GOD OF CARNAGE by YASMINA REZA opens at San José Repertory Theater, a co-production with Arizona Theatre Company. 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com for details.

March 2 & 4, 2012. LE BONHEUR (“Happiness”) Agnès Varda's third feature is a cheerful, sunny, colorful film, a vibrant and ambiguous fable about love, fidelity and the search for happiness, all of it scored with the richly emotional music of Mozart. “I imagined a summer peach with its perfect colors, and inside, there is a worm,” said Varda. Though happily married, a young husband and father falls into an affair with a postal worker. “For him it is not a question of loving one or the other; he loves both, and wants them to share a life together. In his pursuit of happiness, he doesn’t look beyond his own needs and desires, and never imagines that there may be a cost for living for the moment. Without moralizing or providing psychological explanation, Varda’s depiction raises the essentially philosophical question, Is this happiness?” – PACIFIC FILM ARCHIVE (1964, 82 min., in French with English subtitles). All screenings are in Warren Auditorium, Ives Hall on the Sonoma State University campus in Rohnert Park. Admission is $6.00, $5.00 for non-SSU students and senior citizens, and $4.00 for SFI members and children under 12, and FREE for SSU students. Friday, March 2 at 7:00 and Sunday, March 4 at 4:00. www.sonoma.edu/sfi/ for details.

March 4, 2012. 2012 INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE SALON. The grande dame of all North American Chocolate Salons and the premier chocolate event on the West Coast is returning. The 6th Annual San Francisco International CHOCOLATE SALON, March 4th, 2012 will take place in San Francisco. Participants include over 50 master chocolatiers, confectioners, wineries and other culinary artisans. The San Francisco INTERNATIONAL CHOCOLATE SALON will also include celebrity and author talks, a chocolate fashion show, a chocolate spa, and much, much more. Catch the event that spurred this millennium's growth in premium and artisan chocolate! www.SFChocolateSalon.com

March 8, 2012. CARA BLACK speaks about MURDER AT THE LANTERNE ROUGE. 7pm. 80 West Portal, SF. 415.564.8080 or www.bookshopwestportal.com for details.

March 23-April 15, 2012. CINNABAR THEATER presents MOZART’s DON GIOVANNI, based on MOLIERE. Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Libretto by Lorenzo DaPonte. Widely regarded as one of the greatest operas ever composed, Mozart’s opera is a brilliant combination of stark human tragedy and touching comedy, set to music of limitless genius. The Don walks on a moral knife-edge. Charismatic and sexy, but so dangerous and remorseless as to be the greatest cad in history. But his deeds may be catching up with him... Cinnabar Theater, 3333 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, CA 94952, Ofc: 707-763-8920 Fax: 707-763-8929 http://www.cinnabartheater.org/

Opening March 24, 2012. THE FASHION WORLD OF JEAN PAUL GAULTIER: FROM THE SIDEWALK TO THE CATWALK. The first major exhibition dedicated to this designer, the fashion world’s “enfant terrible.” De Young Museum, Herbst Exhibition Galleries, Golden Gate Park, SF. 415.750.3600 or www.famsf.org for details.

March 24 & 25, 2012. CAROLUS VIVAT! THE LIFE OF CHARLES V IN MUSIC. MusicSources new affiliate ensemble, the Pacific Collegium directed by Christopher Kula, will offer us a Marian service heard in the “Flemish” chapel of Charles V. Sublime music of Lassus, JOSQUIN, Morales, and others will be performed by an ensemble of men and boys, each work representing a major political event associated with the life of one of Europe's most powerful monarchs. Saturday, March 24, 2:00 pm
Most Holy Redeemer Church
100 Diamond St. (in the Castro District)
San Francisco. Sunday, March 25, 5:00 pm
TBA. 510.528.1685 or www.musicsources.org or info@musicsources.org for details.

March 24-April 1, 2012. THE SAN FRANCISCO SILENT FILM FESTIVAL presents NAPOLEON. The cinema event of a lifetime! Presented in association with
American Zoetrope, The Film Preserve,
Photoplay Productions, and BFI. The legendary masterpiece by Abel Gance. U.S. premiere of the complete restoration by
Academy Award® winner Kevin Brownlow; U.S. premiere of the score by Carl Davis,
conducting the Oakland East Bay Symphony Four performances only! March 24, 25, 31, April 1
Tickets available online beginning July 16
Paramount Theatre, Oakland http://silentfilm.org/event-special.php

March 30 & 31, 2012. BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA performs in VOICES OF LIGHT, which merges Carl Dreyer’s 1928 silent masterpiece THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC with a live performance of Richard Einhorn’s haunting and profound score. An acclaimed evening of music-theater. 8pm. Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall. 510.642.9988 or http://calperformances.org for details.

April 12-22, 2012. LINES BALLET performs an alluring and magnificent re-envisioning of THE ARABIAN NIGHTS in SCHEHEREZADE. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, www.ybca.org for details.

April 13-15, 2012. CLERESTORY performs HARMONY AND IVORY, including works by MASSENET and more. Join the men of Clerestory for their first keyboard collaboration, as they sing Romantic masterworks by Wolf and Massenet, humorous stylings made popular by the Comedian Harmonists, American spirituals and more, accompanied by a special guest pianist. Locations in the North Bay, Peninsula, East Bay & San Francisco, TBD. http://clerestory.org/concerts.php

April 13, 14 & 15, 2012. THE LOST MODE performs THAT WHICH COLORS THE MIND: MUSICAL COLORS THROUGH TIME AND SPACE. Spanning centuries of history and great geographic regions, this hauntingly beautiful concert explores the modes that are the foundation of Western music. It will delve into the soul of different modes as expressed in medieval plainsong and early polyphony, traditional Balkan, Celtic and other European melodies, and the music of neighboring Mediterranean lands, including Turkish maquam as well as Sephardic and North African song, all surviving clues pointing to the lost sound world from which our own great traditions developed. Friday in Palo Alto; Saturday in Berkeley; Sunday in San Francisco. See website for details: http://www.sfems.org/

April 25-May 13, 2012. IN PARIS. Berkeley Rep invites you to a love story that could only unfold In Paris. Legendary performer Mikhail Baryshnikov takes the stage with Anna Sinyakina and a talented ensemble assembled by visionary director Dmitry Krymov. Based on a story by Nobel Prize– winner Ivan Bunin, In Paris is a dazzling new play set in the 1930s, which mixes movement with a romantic story and spectacular design. This rare international collaboration—told in French and Russian with English supertitles—unites renowned artists born in Russia for a vivid visual experience. Visit the city of light and love with Berkeley Rep, Baryshnikov, and the Dmitry Krymov Laboratory.Adapted from the short story by ivan Bunin Composition and direction by dmitry Krymov A production of Baryshnikov Arts Center, dmitry Krymov laboratory, and russian Century Foundation in association with Korjaamo Theater, Helsinki roda Theatre · April 25–may 13, 2012. To get first dibs on tickets to this special event, you must provide your email address when you order your subscription!http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1112/index.asp for details.

April 26, 2012. JULIA ALVAREZ discusses A WEDDING IN HAITI. Join Julia Alvarez for lunch as she discusses her story about three of her most personal relationships: with her parents, with her husband, and with a young Haitian boy known as Piti. 12pm. Book Passage, 51 Tamal Vista Dr., Corte Madera, 415.927.0960 or www.bookpassage.com for details.

April 29, 2012. SANDRINE PIAU, soprano, performs with SUSAN MANOFF, piano, in Piau’s Cal Performances début. Piau was crowned Opera Singer of the Year in 2009 by the French music industry, and in 2010, her album Between Heaven and Earth won the prestigious MIDEM Classical Album of the Year award. Featuring music by FAURE, CHAUSSON, RAVEL, POULENC and more. Cal Performances, Hertz Hall. 510.642.9988 or http://calperformances.org for details.

April 30, 2012. THE FASHION WORLD OF J. P. GAULTIER. Dubbed fashion’s enfant terrible, the openly gay Jean-Paul Gaultier uses designs to tackle gender and transgender issues through androgynous, gender-bending styles. Always provocative, he brings diversity to the Paris runway. Spring exhibit at the De Young. Lecture at Mill Valley Public Library. 7pm.

May 24-June 17, 2012. GOD OF CARNAGE, by YASMINA REZA, translated by Christopher Hampton, at MARIN THEATRE COMPANY. The hysterical hit Broadway comedy is finally coming to the North Bay! You’ve never laughed so hard until you’ve seen this action-packed, knockout farce, which won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Play and 2009 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Following a playground fight between their 11-year-old sons, the Raleighs agree to meet the Novaks to discuss the situation civilly. However, the veneer of middle-class manners soon falls away as the couples regress to childish accusations, bullying and bickering. http://www.marintheatre.org/satellitepages/11-12-season.php for details.

June 15, 2012. ANOTHER NIGHT IN TREME. New Orleans music legends and starts ofhte blockbuster HBO series TREME bring another rollicking night of Crescent City Sounds! San Francisco Jazz Festival, www.sfjazz.org for details. Paramount Theatre, Oakland.

June 15-24, 2012. 11TH SACRAMENTO FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL at the Crest Theatre. Support the Festival, spread the word! Merci. 11th SFFF, June 15-24, 2012 - Crest Theatre.www.SacramentoFrenchFilmFestival.org